Cushioning device for tires.



E. FAVARY. CUSHIONING DEVICE FOR TIRES.

APPLICATION HLED'SEPT. 3. (909.

Patented Apr.2() ,191' 5.

' resilient wheel without the use of the ordi- ETHELBER-T FAVARIY, 013 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CUSHIONING' DEVICE FOR TIRES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2, 1915.

Application filed September 3, 1909. Serial N 0. 516,063.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ETHELBERT FAVARY, citizen of Hungary, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have intent-ed certain new anduse' ful Improvements in Cushioning Devices for Tires, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in cushioning devices for the tires of the wheels of automobiles or other vehicles generally, and for other purposes, and the primary object of the invention is improved means which will, in the present embodiment of the invention herein illustrated produce an eflicient and nary pneumatic or cushion rubber tires, and

, wherein peculiarity of structure rather than any springy nature of the material is re lied upon to secure the desired resiliency.

The invention relates particularly to improved cushioning means such as are disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States, granted to me January 10, 1911, No. 981,253, the present case being for the purpose of protecting certain details of construction and relative arrangement of parts which are incorporated in the concrete structure as it is at present constructed.

With this main and other. subsidiary objects in view as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, my present invention consists essentially in a cushioning device embodying a plurality of bands, strips or layers of some pliable and substantially inelastic and non-stretchable fabric, and a series of-rigid supports interposed between the bands and arranged in predetermined spaced relation to each other and in such a manner that the bands will contain dipped or angularly related portions intermediate of the several supports and being tensioned in a longitudinal direction to a predetermined degree, whereby a blow or stress imposed'in a radial direction at any point in ing device of this character in which a plurality of concentric pliable bands have interposed between them a plurality of supports arranged in spaced relation to each other and secured to the bands, the supports between every two adjacent bands being arranged in alternate relation to the corresponding supports between the next two adjacent bands, whereby the dipped formation mentioned in the preceding paragraph is produced and the desired resiliency obtained.

The invention, also consists in bands and supports arranged as above described in combination with tensioning devices which aredesigned to increase or diminish to the desired degree, the longitudinal tension which is maintained upon the bands. And the invention further consists in certain details of construction and arrangements and combinations of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe andclaim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following de scription and accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1' is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of a wheel embodying my invention: Fig. 2 is atransverse sectional 'VlGW thereof; on a slightly larger scale, the

section being taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a similar view on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail perspective view of the means which in the present instance are utilized to secure the tensioning blocks to the rim of the wheel. I Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawing by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates a portion of the hub, Q the spokes and 3 a portion bf the felly-of a wheel embodying the improvements of myinvention;

combination thereof.

The supports 6 that are interposed between the several bands may be composed of rigid'materiall, and in the present instance, in the embodiment illustrated they are hollow (although they may be solid if desired) and are formed of steel or similar metal so as to combine lightness with strength. These supports may be secured to the bands in any desired way such as by the rivets indicated in the drawing, and may be placed any predetermined distance apart, the supports between the two adjacent sets of bands preferably alternating or being arranged in staggered relation to the sup ports between the next two adjacent sets of bands. There may be, for instance, as illustrated' best in Fig. 1, a pair of relatively small supports between the outermost band and the band adjacent thereto between every two adjacent supports that are located be tween such last named band and the next adjacent band. Preferably the supports between the several bands increase in size,

that is to say, the supports of the outermost set are the smallest, the supports of the next set are somewhat larger, and so on, except that I prefer that the innermost supports which lie between the rim 4 and the next band be relatively small as best illustrated in Fig. 1.

From the foregoing. description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be clearly noted that theinner bands receive'their tension. when the outer band is tensioned, and that they constitute, with the staggered supports, a supporting structure which is not te'nsioned upon the felly of the wheel in itself, but is compressed upon the felly of the wheel by the .outer tensioning band, the relation and arrangement of the elements of the supporting structure being such that the tension members of the structure receive a share of the strain brought to bear upon the outer confining band. The organization of the supporting structure. is such that any deformation of the tire will distribute an increased stress upon the tension members of the supporting structure and the outer confining band. It is to be understood that the tension of the bands may be increased to the desired degree at any time, the tensioning means preferably acting in an outward'radial direction upon-the innermost band. I

In the present instance, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated the tensioning devices embody screws 7 which are arranged. in laterally disposed relation at predetermined intervals around the rim 1 the said screws extending in an outward radial direction through openings formed for them in the laterally projecting portion of said rim and working at their outer ends in nuts 8 which are located in recesses that are formed by the laterally projecting ends 9. of the tensioning blocks 10. These blocks are secured in any desired way as by the screws 10? shown in Fig, 3 to the innermost band of the series and they are held between pairs of lugs 11- which project outwardly from the rim 4, as best illustrated. between Figs. 1 and 1. It will thus be seen that in order to increase the longitudinal tension on the bands 6, it is only necessary to turn the tensioning screws 7 so as to press the tensioning blocks 10 in an outward radial direction.

In order to exclude dirt, dust, oil, or the like, from obtaining free access to the parts above described, I have shown a casing which in the present instance comprises an envelop of rubber or the like preferably embodying a tread element 15 and sidewings' or flaps 16, the tread element being preferably corrugated as best illustrated in Fig. 1, with the relatively thick portions intermediate of the outermost supports 6 so as to more nearly equalize the resiliency on the outer periphery of the tire. The side wings or flaps 16 of the envelopare secured in any desired way as by'the screws 17 to the annuli or side plates 18 which may be composed of steel or other metal or material clamped to the opposite sides of the rim 4 as by tie bolts 19 extending therethrough.

With this understanding of the principles of my invention and the details of construction-and relative arrangements of parts which I have hereinbefore specified and shown in the accompanying drawing for the purpose of illustrating a concrete embodiment in which the invention may be carried out, it will be apparent that when there is inward pressure on any portion of the tire the supports will come closer together at or near the point of the pressure, and they will separate farther at the other supports in proximity thereto, and in fact to some extent all around the circumference of the wheel, for the intermediate bands are at a greater tension when there is a pressure at any one point on the periphery of the wheel. Thus any impact or stress at any one point on the periphery of the wheel will be resisted by the entire set of supports and bands, the same taking up such stress or impress one after the other to a gradually 1,1se,sae

decreasing degree 1n opposite 'direiitlons away from the point. of stress or impact, so as to produce the desired resiliency.

Having thus described the invention 7 'whatis claimed as new is:

1. A resilient deformable tire comprising a rigid rim supporting a deformable and in itself flabby mechanical structure of practically non-elastic and non-springy-positively connected. component parts, and a tension band holding said structure in tension to render it resilient.

2. A resilient deformable tire comprising i elasticfland non-springy tension and compression members, the-tension members being' fastened to the compression members," and a tensionband holding said structure tension to render it'resilient; '1 J c v 4.-'The combination with a'. wheel having a rigid felly; of a tire comprising mp1s rality of concentric pliable bands, rigid sup- 7 ports interposed between ,said bands and fastened "thereto, and outwardly ten'sionedl;- anchorages uponsaidfelly positively engaging the innermost of said bands inter mediate the supports fastened thereto and. holding all of said bands except the entermost distended in zigzag formation against said outermost'band; substantially as de-' scribed. p L v In testimony whereof I aflix' my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ETHELBERT FAVARY. [L .s.] Witnesses; I

W. P. AUoHENnAoH,

CHEsTEn P. CLAPP. 

